You have heard that digital branding as a management and creation strategy goes far beyond advertising strategies, which are built around a brand.
Branding has evolved over the years, acquiring new tools which can be applied in different marketing scenarios. In other words, it has become an articulated and systematized practice that, with marketing support, can create prestige and great value for a product.
However, branding doesn’t work all by itself. This is because there are rules that have to be applied with precision, paying attention to today’s dynamic society in order to achieve the goals we seek.
In that sense, if we want to make our way as entrepreneurs in the fierce world of branding, it is very important that we know and apply the basic rules of branding, since this strategy brings multiple benefits to today’s SMEs.
What Are The Basic Rules Of Branding And How To Apply Them?
DEFINING A GOOD NAME
It should not be a matter of chance. There is no specific rule for creating the ideal name, but there are some tricks that have proven to be effective. For example, the name should be thoughtful, capable of arousing emotions and, above all, easy to remember or relate to what the brand stands for.
PROJECTING PERSONALITY WHILE KEEPING THE SPIRIT
In order to get noticed, you have to be different. Many entrepreneurs tend to forget that sometimes less is more; by making our brand simpler, it will be easier to introduce into people’s minds and preferences.
Therefore, we must ensure that the brand speaks for us, and that what it conveys is present in every form of media. How can we achieve this? By preserving our spirit on our cards, web, social networks and in the office.
OFFER VALUE
We should be able to give arguments on why customers should choose us, rather than our competitors; this will add business clarity, as long as we use clear and precise language while we focus on the benefits our audience will get from choosing us.
GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
Connecting with them will help us to understand their needs, and then we will be able to help them fulfill them. Knowing where they are, what their problem is and what they need is fundamental. The best way to “get to know them” is through a blog, as well as adding value and positioning ourselves.
Remember to generate, maintain and value every dialogue you have with your customers. In addition to this, you must define the tone and the way you will use to deal with users, so that they turn to you and not to your competitors. Be attentive, listen, manage your own hypotheses and conclusions and act accordingly.
BE PRESENT ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
Social networks play a huge role in the promotion of companies, brands and businesses. Use them as a tool to promote your brand and get more and more users to know it.
Importance of Branding
Nowadays it is extremely important to build a brand as a company or business. Marketing specialists say that having a good product is not enough to sell, as customers do not fall in love with the product itself, but with the brand that it represents. This is where branding comes in to do its thing.
For a business or SME, branding defines the identity that is built around the brand. On the other hand, its importance lies in strengthening the identity of the products or services that are being offered while helping to build trust among customers and increasing credibility, as well as communicating the company’s values. Branding helps to position brands in today’s market.
Advantages of Branding For SMEs and Entrepreneurs
We know that a large company with a large marketing budget is not the same as an entrepreneur; nor is it comparable to a micro-entrepreneur who runs a small or medium-sized company, but who still yearns to grow, grow and grow.
However, in all of these scenarios we must take our time to plan, given the results that branding brings; among them, we find the capability of standing out among so much competition, carving out a niche for ourselves in the market, being chosen, etc.
In the same way, a good branding strategy will result in:
- Business clarity for our brand
- It will save us advertising costs
- We will be able to sell more and better
- It will allow us to raise prices
On the other hand, security when implementing any of its strategies is fundamental for any SME. This is why it is important that every entrepreneur “marries” all of the basic rules of branding, regardless of the organizational level at which it is located.
It is also essential for every company to be sure that the product or service it offers is clear and defined, and that it has a specific and segmented potential market. On this basis, an entrepreneur will be able to take advantage of its limitations, embracing possibilities and cautiously studying the infinite potentialities.
Remember, as an entrepreneur, that the main goal of branding is to generate long-term emotional bonds with clients and consumers; since they are the ones who will pay the prices of the products and services offered, giving value to the brand.
